Exclusive: Mandatory 'Consent to Withdraw from Treatment' Taken from Qezel Hesar Prisoners

According to an exclusive report from Qezel Hesar prison obtained by Voice of America, judicial officials in this prison, in addition to widespread violations of prisoners' right to medical treatment under the pretext of 'lack of budget', are at times obtaining written consent from them to 'withdraw from treatment'. A reliable source from Qezel Hesar prison provided documents to the Persian section of Voice of America indicating that a prisoner named 'Saeed Zadeh-Raieh' has developed laryngeal cancer in prison, but the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic are not taking action for his treatment and refuse to provide medical services under the pretext of 'lack of budget'. An eyewitness regarding Mr. Saeed Zadeh-Raieh's condition stated that this prisoner is serving an 11-year sentence related to drug charges and said to Voice of America, 'The prison organization does not pay for his surgery and says we have no budget.' According to existing documents and the statements of the eyewitness, 'Saeed Zadeh-Raieh, son of Ghasem', is approximately 50 years old and is currently in Unit 4 of Ward 22 of Qezel Hesar prison. He has spent seven years of his sentence and has four years remaining. This informed source emphasized, 'The prison organization does not pay for laryngeal surgery and says we have no budget, and the surgery has been delayed so much that, as the saying goes, the cancer has rooted into the chest.' According to this informed source, Saeed Zadeh-Raieh has been taken to several hospitals including 'Madani, Rajaei, and Imam Ali' in Karaj and 'Khomeini and Amir Alam' hospitals in Tehran, but these visits have been fruitless due to the lack of serious action for the treatment and surgery of the patient. This informed source also emphasized the situation of prisoners in Qezel Hesar: 'The prison organization places the cost of treatment for prisoners, especially ordinary ones, on the prisoners themselves under the pretext of lack of budget, and if the treatment cost is not paid, they obtain consent forms from sick and helpless prisoners to withdraw from treatment.' This eyewitness also told Voice of America, 'The violation of the right to treatment, the right to life and existence, and the violation of human rights in the prisons of the Islamic Republic is rampant.' It should be noted that the Persian section of Voice of America attempted to contact the officials of Qezel Hesar prison for clarification, but repeated calls to the prison went unanswered. Voice of America has previously received reports of human rights violations of prisoners in Qezel Hesar prison in Alborz province, but due to existing restrictions on the ability of free media to operate in Iran and the lack of accountability from Islamic Republic officials, it is not possible to verify and obtain further details about these reports. Additionally, see: Exclusive: Eyewitness Account of Violence by Qezel Hesar Officials Against Prisoners. Besides the violation of the right to treatment of prisoners in general wards in the prisons of the Islamic Republic, personal accounts from some political prisoners indicate their systematic and deliberate illness, which Voice of America has previously covered in detail in a report. Also see: Exclusive: Personal Accounts of Political Prisoners' Illness, 'Systematic Deliberate Process' in the Islamic Republic.